As I write this I will place out a disclaimer which could be shocking to progressive America. I have been a Christian for over two decades. That’s right! I did the whole bible camp thingy and “got right” as a teenager. Living here in the Bible belt (Alabama) to be exact, it was understood that us Christian types had to vote on one issue only and on one party line — Abortion and Republican. As a matter of fact; thanks to beer gut troll, Karl Rove, most evangelicals feel that Christianity and Conservatism are indistinguishable. I can remember, right after college and being the idiot I was then, my glee in seeing George Bush win the 2000 election. Or in other words, the one he stole with his brother’s ole help down in Florida. Yet, looking back on the dynamic, I harken back to the emptiness I must of felt inside then. After all; that is the feeling, a sane, educated, altruistic and fully functioning person should feel when they voted a certain way because anyone but themselves told them to vote from that paradigm. This is the reason why “fly over states” such as mine are perpetual, ignorant backwaters politically.
Just recently, while answering another conservative ideologue on Facebook last week, yeah I know surprise, surprise; I truly realized the depths of the “pro-life” hypocrisy movement is deeper than anyone can imagine. When I stated the fact that “pro — life” should mean being a steward of: the environment, access to affordable health care and so forth, all this individual could give me was a ‘God will punish pro — choice voters eternally’ video through my Messenger App. Never mind I was promoting the perspective that stated all life is precious no matter what age. This is the exact insanity that so many in the evangelical church use to justify their voting records. But, I also realized something disturbing I already knew but did not want to admit. I know a large majority of evangelicals will not either.
That realization being that their voting culture may not be entirely about — abortion. By taking a deeper look, some will have to admit it is about the angst of having a black president during the good part of the last decade. Or it may be that their redneck “way of life” is under assault from elitists and sojourners from anywhere else in the world. Or maybe they are too insecure to admit that they can’t stand to see a female lead their beloved country. God forbid, it be one of color to! Or That Alex Jones or Fox News told them their guns were going to be taken away. Finally, that they would have to share some wealth, not really if you listen to Elizabeth Warren, to make life easier and opportunity more attainable for the disenfranchised. Or other words, actually do the things to help mankind which Christ spoke of in the Bible.
But, in the end most of them know this. A few truly don’t. The Republican Party has realized this for the past 30 years. By knowing this they would have to admit that their “Christianity” may need some “spring cleaning” as we like to say in these parts. Until then, they will keep voting on the sanctimonious assumption that being anti-abortion will show them in the best light toward God and man. It will somehow absolve them of voting “anti — pro life” in all other arena’s of policy. Until then all you will get from them are videos telling you, you are going to the lake of eternal fire if you vote Democrat. Because, they really have no other alibi when they present their case.
John C. Brown
Delegate (District # 4 — Elizabeth Warren)